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Moving Toward Equal Ground: Engaging the Capacity of Youth, Families and Communities to Improve Treatment Services and Outcomes in the Juvenile Justice System

NCJ Number
232284
Author(s)
Roland Akers; Tom Begich; Hazel Cameron; Kym Carmichael; Michelle Demitchell; Travis Eagle Bear; Rey Espana; Ray Goodman; Michael Kerosky; Zerrick Keyes; Jackie Miller; Jaime Molina; Pam Pilgrim; Alan Robichaud; Victoria Shaver; Roma Stephens
Date Published
2007
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This publication shares the knowledge of the Community Fellows of Reclaiming Futures, a comprehensive approach to helping youth caught in the cycle of drugs, alcohol, and crime, what they have learned about the crucial role families and community members play in improving the way they help teens in the juvenile justice system and who are struggling with drug and alcohol use.
Abstract
Reclaiming Futures is a new, comprehensive approach to helping youth caught in the cycle of drugs, alcohol, and crime. An initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Reclaiming Futures promotes new opportunities and standards of care in juvenile justice by bringing communities together to improve drug and alcohol treatment, expand and coordinate services, and find jobs for youth in trouble with the law. Reclaiming Futures is also helping families learn to advocate for their youth, to help them get better drug and alcohol treatment and other services they need. This report makes the case for involving families and community members in the juvenile justice system. It describes the Reclaiming Futures model, and how family and community involvement is an essential part of each stage of the model. Several examples are given to show how this has been integrated in the 10 Reclaiming Futures sites. Appendixes